Sunday, September 15, 2013

Trail Hazards

The trails in the park do have their hazards whether you are hiking, biking or running. Turkeys are rarely a problem although these do not appear to be in any hurry in getting out of her way.

We could call this a Turkey Trot.

I've come across deer right alongside the trail after rounding a turn when riding my mountain bike. With no time to stop I can only hope they choose to remain where they are and not cut across in front of me.
That would be not good, for me or the deer.

There are Mountain Lion in the park and I have yet to see one. Here is evidence of their presence - Mountain Lion poop. You can tell by my boot, this is no small kitty cat. But they don't worry me. In fact with the number of people that use this 5000 acre park everyday, there is rarely a sighting. The big cats choose to stay to themselves. I feel I've been watched before, for sure.

No, the thing that worries me most is the Rattlesnake. As long as I see it before it sees me, that is fine. But running along like this lady is, you can come up upon one suddenly, scaring both you and it at the same time. This is why I try to run down the middle as much as possible, not along the edge as she is.

Then just yesterday I hiked a trail I've only been on once before, The Bay Ridge Trail that skirts along the park boundary. On the other side of the stone fence was private property - rich people's backyards.
I thought I'd sneak a peek over the fence and saw this.

:) a gnome home! Maybe the joggers think they can out-run a rattlesnake of just jump straight over the top of it. Only yesterday I was cleaning out some grated-drains in the pathways (leaves and debri), but there was also a partial snake skin laying in there. Gladly not a rattlesnake about, but more than likely the whip-snake I've seen here. The big cat, well so long as they don't mind you biking all's well; interesting post John. It looks like a nice nature location to spend time in

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